Enjoy the real Yucatán in Valladolid

Updated 2:25 pm, Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Halfway between Merida and Cancun, Valladolid boasts colonial buildings and 19th century structures along with a preserved traditional zócalo.

Halfway between Merida and Cancun, Valladolid boasts colonial buildings and 19th century structures along with a preserved traditional zócalo.

Photo: Christine Delsol, Special To SFGate

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Though it was renovated in the winter of 2009, Valladolid's plaza remains very much an old Colonial square.

Though it was renovated in the winter of 2009, Valladolid's plaza remains very much an old Colonial square.

Photo: Christine Delsol, Special To SFGate

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Cenote Dzitnup, 2½ miles west of Valladolid off Hwy. 180, is said to be the most photographed cenote in the Yucatán.

Cenote Dzitnup, 2½ miles west of Valladolid off Hwy. 180, is said to be the most photographed cenote in the Yucatán.

Photo: Christine Delsol, Special To SFGate

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Cenote Zaci is located in the middle of town. With easily navigable stepped trail passes caves, stalactites, hanging vines, and more fresh air than you'll find at Cenote Dzitnup, it's definitely worth a visit.

Cenote Zaci is located in the middle of town. With easily navigable stepped trail passes caves, stalactites, hanging vines, and more fresh air than you'll find at Cenote Dzitnup, it's definitely worth a

Although beautiful, Cenote Dzitnup can be rather claustrophobic. Skip the crowds and head across the road to visit the smaller Samula cenote.

Although beautiful, Cenote Dzitnup can be rather claustrophobic. Skip the crowds and head across the road to visit the smaller Samula cenote.

Photo: Christine Delsol, Special To SFGate

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The "Walk of the Friars" begins at the corner of Calles 41 and 46 downtown and leads to the Franciscan monastery of San Bernardino de Siena, pictured here.

The "Walk of the Friars" begins at the corner of Calles 41 and 46 downtown and leads to the Franciscan monastery of San Bernardino de Siena, pictured here.

Photo: Christine Delsol, Special To SFGate

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A scene from "Walk of the Friars" at sunset.

A scene from "Walk of the Friars" at sunset.

Photo: Christine Delsol, Special To SFGate

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Open less than two years, Casa de los Venados is a private collection of Mexican folk art exhibited in the owners' 18,000-square-foot home.

Open less than two years, Casa de los Venados is a private collection of Mexican folk art exhibited in the owners' 18,000-square-foot home.

Photo: Christine Delsol, Special To SFGate

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Visitors to Valladolid's Mayapán Distillery are invited to take a tour tracing the entire production from growth and harvest of the agave to cooking, crushing (by a horse pulling a 1-ton stone around a circular "molienda," or grinder), fermentation and distilling.

Visitors to Valladolid's Mayapán Distillery are invited to take a tour tracing the entire production from growth and harvest of the agave to cooking, crushing (by a horse pulling a 1-ton stone around a

In the great Yucatan tourism boom of 2012, Cancun, Chichen Itza, Merida and Tulum were all over the news. Notably absent was Valladolid, a small colonial city halfway between Merida and Cancun that has always appealed to veteran Mexico travelers but hasn't drawn the masses that descend upon the Yucatan's popular tourist destinations.

Valladolid's handsome colonial buildings and 19th century structures, along with an immaculately preserved traditional zócalo, make it a delightful place to soak up the real Yucatán. The city's economy is based on commerce and small-scale manufacturing rather than tourism, and people are friendly and informal.

As the closest city to Chichen Itza, Valladolid has garnered more tourism since those ruins were named one of the New 7 Wonders of the World in 2007. But there are ample reasons to stay in the city for its own sake. Here are our top 10.

History: Some of the most significant events in Mexico's history took place in Valladolid. Francisco de Montejo the Younger, whose father first attempted to conquer the Yucatan in 1527, finally succeeded in 1540 and made Valladolid one of his first three Spanish strongholds. Three centuries later the War of the Castes – the longest and most devastating war in Mexico's history – ignited in Valladolid in 1847. In 1910, the Mexican Revolution began with the signing of the Dzelkoop Plan in Valladolid, mounting a rebellion against the dictator Porfirio Diaz' regime that became the Mexican Revolution. The citizens of Valladolid who were martyred in that early uprising are commemorated in the city's Parque de los Heroes (Heroes Park), where officers of the rebellion were executed by firing squad.

The main plaza: Relaxing in the leafy plaza, where workers fortify themselves at food carts, bouquets of balloons waft above vendors' heads and couples smooch in the S-shaped confidenciales, or lovers' seats, make for a perfect afternoon. Though renovated in the winter of 2009, it remains very much an old Colonial square. The lush shade trees were left alone, the confidenciales replaced or repainted, and the original ironwork preserved. Maya women who once hung their brilliant embroidery on the fence for sale were moved to stalls in the Bazar Municipal across the street, while buildings flanking the square were repainted, new lighting was added, and walking paths were repaved. Maya rebels set off the War of the Castes at the imposing Iglesia de San Gervasio cathedral, on the south side of the plaza. The municipal building, El Ayuntamiento, is the repository for dramatic historical paintings and site of Sunday night jaranas and other traditional regional music.

Cenotes: Cenote Dzitnup, 2½ miles west of Valladolid off Hwy. 180, is said to be the most photographed cenote in the Yucatán, and its deep, glassy, blue water punctuated by a thicket of stalactites and tree roots from above make a spectacular picture. However, it is unrelentingly humid, claustrophobic and often crowded. Across the road, about 295 feet away, the smaller and less developed but also beautiful, Samula cenote might be a better choice. But don't overlook Cenote Zaci, named for the Maya city that occupied the site of present-day Valladolid. It's in a park right in the middle of town, and though its easily navigable stepped trail passes caves, stalactites, and hanging vines create a prehistoric atmosphere, it is partially open to the sky so air is in greater supply. Zaci is used more by locals than tourists, and I find it more peaceful and just as pretty as the famous underground cenotes outside of town.

Ruins: Just 40 minutes from Chichen Itza, Valladolid is the best base for visiting the New World Wonder. For a contrast with Chichen Itza's crowds, hawkers and climbing ban, you can also venture 18 miles north of Valladolid to Ek Balam (Mayan for "Black Jaguar"). This city, excavated only in the past 15 years, dates back to A.D. 100. It is distinguished by its remarkably well preserved frescoes, surviving web of white limestone paths known as sacbeob (singular: sacbe), phenomenal mask of the underworld god Balam and city walls rarely found in Maya cities. Its 100-foot El Torre – significantly taller than Chichen Itza's El Castillo – is open to climbers. Coba, more often visited from the Riviera Maya, is only an hour away – a shorter trip than it is from either Cancun or Playa del Carmen. Even the drive to Tulum, at an hour and 50 minutes, is just 10 minutes longer than from Cancun.

Calzada de los Frailes: For a sunset stroll you'll always remember, follow this "Walk of the Friars" (otherwise known as Calle 41A) from the corner of Calles 41 and 46 downtown to the Franciscan monastery of San Bernardino de Siena, about a half-mile away. The diagonal cobblestone street is lined with huge clay planters and passes lovely restored Colonial homes. The monastery, built in 1552, looms over a grassy square. It was sacked during the War of the Castes but still has its fine Baroque altarpiece and some striking 17th century paintings.

Valladolid English library: The Valladolid English Library, which opened in 2011 on Valladolid's Parque San Juan, loans out its collection of English-language books on all sorts of topics, including some rare titles on Maya history and culture. The library was modeled after the one in Merida, and like Merida's it hosts a Language Exchange Hour that allows you to practice your Spanish with native Spanish-speakers and help them learn English in return. A monthly lecture series hosts talks by local authors, teachers, environmentalists and other experts; in December, the topic was – what else? – the Maya calendar.

Tequila: Though Jalisco state has a lock on the word "tequila," that doesn't mean the seductive liquor made from the blue agave isn't made anywhere else; it just has to be called by a different name. Valladolid's Mayapán Distillery produces some very good, ahem, Mayapán from Jalisco-grown agaves. In addition to its own brew, you can buy many other brands at the distillery's Tequila Store, which shares space with what might be Valladolid's best gift shop. Visitors are invited to take a tour tracing the entire production from growth and harvest of the agave to cooking, crushing (by a horse pulling a 1-ton stone around a circular "molienda," or grinder), fermentation and distilling. The grand finale is sampling three shots, one each of blanco, reposado and añejo (aged) Mayapán.

Museums: Open less than two years, Casa de los Venados is a private collection of Mexican folk art exhibited in the owners' 18,000-square-foot home, a block from the plaza's southeast corner. The renovated house is a work of art all on its own, but its highest purpose is to display John and Dorianne Venator's vast collection of Mexican folk, from miniatures to Day of the Dead skeletons to alebrijes and furniture. Tours are offered most days at 10 a.m., but it's best to e-mail (javenator1@gmail.com) for an appointment. A block east of the plaza, the interior of Museo San Roque, a fortress-like former hospital chapel converted into a museum of Valladolid and Maya life on the edge of Parque Los Heroes, has a suitably cool, hushed atmosphere. The models and exhibits offer a fine overview of arts and crafts from surrounding Maya villages, as well as ancient stone masks, pottery and bones unearthed at Ek Balam. The quiet park is a good place for a break in the shade.

Lodging: Valladolid is the most affordable city in a very affordable state. The city has been acquiring worthy new hotels and inns at a brisk pace, but my long-standing favorites are the Meson del Marques, an elegant converted 17th century house on the plaza, and Casa Hamaca, a lovely B&B in a jungle-like garden run by a lively gadabout who also is president of the English Library. You can bed down in either for less than $100. The best of an array of budget hotels are the Hotel San Clemente on Calle 42 between calles 41 and 43 and Hotel Zací, Calle 44 between calles 37 and 39.

Flamingo side trip: Ría Lagartos (the estuary, not to be confused with Río Lagartos, the small fishing village in which it is located), about 50 miles north of Valladolid, is a refuge for the largest nesting flamingo population in North America. You can book a boat tour through the mangroves to see the flamingos at their feeding grounds, as well as many other species of waterfowl. Guides also like to stop at the evaporation pools used by local salt producer Las Coloradas and a freshwater spring bubbling out from below the saltwater estuary. Book a tour from Valladolid, or get yourself to Rio Lagartos and hire a boat at the kiosk where Calle 10 intersects with the malecón.

Former Chronicle travel editor Christine Delsol is the author of "Pauline Frommer's Cancún & the Yucatán" and a regular contributor to "Frommer's Mexico" and "Frommer's Cancún & the Yucatán."

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